Organized by Caribbean Subregional Program Coordination, PAHO
July 19th – 10AM EDT via Zoom
Note: the Event will be host in English (only)
Context: Access to essential medicines is recognized as a fundamental human right by governments worldwide. However, in low- and middle-income countries, including the Caribbean region, millions of people continue to face significant challenges in accessing affordable and quality medicines. These challenges include inadequate financing for healthcare, affordability issues, concerns over the quality and safety of medicines, inappropriate use of essential medicines, weak or limited regulatory systems, and complex procurement and supply chain management processes. These factors constrain the capacity of governments to invest in social programs and agendas. Consequently, many people rely on out-of-pocket payments for healthcare, including medications, creating barriers to access and contributing to inappropriate use of prescription drugs and other medicines.
This webinar will present two reports that review pharmaceutical policy challenges that are crucial for accessing medicines in the Caribbean:
- Health Financing and Access to Medicines in the Caribbean, by Dr. Rebecca Hancock-Howard, from University of Toronto Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation
- Pharmaceutical cost containment in Small Markets: a review of policy challenges and analysis of existing policy responses, by Erin McConnell, Dr. Warren A. Kaplan, and Dr. Veronika J. Wirtz, from the Department of Global Health at Boston University School of Public Health
Following the reports presentation by the authors, there will be discussants that will provide their insights on the findings, following a debate among participants.